Giving Thanks…

November 25, 2012

…this weekend for a wonderful holiday spent with family & close friends! In fact, I got the chance to make & enjoy Turkey Day twice this week, score! One 19 pound bird & a second large turkey breast later, and I’m currently in post-holiday-coma bliss. Growing up, Thanksgiving was the cooking extravaganza of the year and nothing has changed! I love all of the traditional fare associated with this day – warm comfort dishes with seasonal inspiration. I make a classic Southern-style menu including, but not always limited to: one large roasted birdie stuffed with cornbread dressing, rich Southern mashed potatoes, brussels with bacon, fried corn, fresh cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, stuffed celery, pumpkin & apple pies, oh and let’s not forget the most crucial meal element – homemade, brown turkey gravy. I feel like I should go run 15 miles just writing down that menu, but it’s so very worth it!

The big bird was for a larger crowd of around 15, but the full turkey breast was perfect for a smaller gathering with enough for leftovers!

Roasting turkey always reminds me of this turkey carving scene in Christmas Vacation! Luckily, both of ours ended up juicy and tender, and though it’s not Xmas just yet…Clark would be proud…

The heart of this menu stems from my Mom and her traditional holiday fare. I make the cornbread dressing almost the same way she does, and can’t imagine changing its goodness one bit! Stuffing from the bird is one of the most flavorful, and my favorite parts of this menu. Well, maybe it’s a tie with the mashed potatoes with cream & butter, which really deserve their own plate. Tackling a meal with this many components, especially for a large crowd, can be overwhelming and time consuming. I can say that after many years of trying to find a way to reduce the stress, the solution is prepping ahead! I pre chop, organize, and ready all of ingredients possible. Taking this dish-by-dish and pre-making the cranberries, pie and casseroles, is a huge TDay timesaver! Also, I do the large full bird in a Nesco Turkey Convection oven, which cooks a 19 lb bird in only ~ 4.5 hrs, and it turns out absolutely juicy with very crisp skin… just the way we like ’em! It’s time to pour a celebratory glass of Champagne & get our aprons ready… Here are some highlights from my Turkey Day table, enjoy!:

Brussels sprouts may not sound too exiting, but sauté them with the likes of bacon, onion, garlic and some bread crumbs and you have one green side dish on Thanksgiving that will have your guests asking for seconds! This is a house favorite at turkey day and Christmas both!

Serves: 2 lbs worth enough for 6 people

Prep time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

What to get:

2 lbs Brussels Sprouts, trimmed & cleaned

4 strips bacon

½ sweet white onion, diced finely

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup white wine

1 cup freshly toasted sourdough bread crumbs

2 T butter for browning bread crumbs

S&P to taste

What to do:

Pre-make toasted sourdough bread crumbs using day old sour dough baguette and melted butter, and set aside.

Trim, wash & drain all sprouts.

Par-steam sprouts in large pot on stove, till only slightly tender but not too soft.

Rinse cooked sprouts under cool water, drain and set aside.

In large skillet on stove cook bacon slices till crispy, set aide to drain, but reserve all drippings.

In pan with drippings on medium, sauté the onion & garlic till tender/translucent.

This is easy and very flavorful. Pre steaming, sautéing and then broiling the little brussels, allows them to lose their bitterness and they become salty sweet with the likes of delicious bacon! The smaller the brussels sprout, the more sweet and tender. I always try to pick the smallest ones and they are also, usually the most tender! This can be made ahead up until the broiling step, that should be done right before serving!

I cook my 18 lb bird in a special, table top, turkey convection oven, which keeps the bird amazingly moist and cooks fairly quickly. The turkey and a turkey breast also do great stuffed, in a regular oven, with reduced heat and consistent basting. Stuffing a turkey breast cavity is similar to the bird, but you essentially rest turkey breast on top of the stuffing, covering it mostly and I add an extra egg to the stuffing in a turkey breast to keep it extra moistened throughout cooking. Whether a turkey breast or full bird, the bird is always roasted breast side up.

Nothing could make a Thanksgiving meal more complete than a slice of freshly made spiced pumpkin pie. We get a little festive with some Fall-inspired pie crust cutouts to adorn the top! This one is a timeless classic and a crowd favorite, i make it every year and it is easy to do ahead!

When pie crust is browned and filling set, remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Serve room temperature with whipped cream and/or ice cream!

Notes:

This one is pretty standard, but pretty delicious! Best to let this pie rest at room temp long before trying to slice and serve. Stores easily in the fridge if there are leftovers. Perfectly pairs with whipped cream & the pie dough cutouts are easy, yet optional.

We served up some delicious red and white wines to go along with the vast spread. From a smooth Wiens Pinot Noir, to a favorite, crisp apple wine from J. Jenkins called Dolcezza, there was a glass for every taste. I look back very thankful to have been with such great people, who also love a great Thanksgiving meal, and really just any good excuse to celebrate!

Alas, with countless ingredients chopped, dishes cleaned, calories consumed and leftovers stored… We can cheers to the end of the weekend & successful Turkey Day(s) 2012!

Never had fried corn before. It was AMAZING … and so was everything else, but who fries corn? ME from now on!ReplyCancel

Welcome to the dinnervine!

Thank you for visiting the dinnervine! In the words of Julia Child, "People who love to eat, are always the best people," and I couldn't agree more. I hope you enjoy these dishes as much as I did making them. Here's to creating new recipes and memories with friends & family, cheers!